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Monday, March 28, 2011

Fame and Fortune -- why not you?

Why not me? Why not any of us?

I recently read the blog post of a very popular author, one where she was postulating about her success, her uncommon and shockingly meteoric rise to fame and fortune. She states that, although it could happen to someone else, she doesn't think it's going to be a very common occurrence. While she's probably right on both counts, it occurs to me that you can interpret that in two ways. 1) It's rare and it probably won't happen to me; or 2) It's rare, but it might happen to me. Why can't it happen to me?

I like number 2. And the answer? Well, in my opinion, there's no good reason that it can't happen to you. Or to me. Or to anyone else willing to try. Granted, you have to have some semblance of talent in whatever it is that you're pursuing. That's a given. And most likely, if you didn't have some aptitude, you wouldn't be pursuing it to start with. At least it seems that way to me. But does it have to be world-class talent? I think probably not.

Evidence shows that different things strike a cord within the masses, and those things aren't always what you'd expect. They aren't always the traditional, widely expected and accepted things. We like what we like and sometimes there's no explaining it. It is what it is. But what does that tell us? That success is like lightning. It usually arises from a storm, whether coming or going, it's often heralded by thunder and it can strike anybody, anywhere, anytime. Ok, so it's not extremely common to be struck by lightning. So what? The main thing is that it's possible.

What I take from this is encouragement. We all have a chance to do something great. All we have to do is keep trying. The only time you can really count yourself out, declare yourself a failure, is when you stop trying. Until then, we are all viable, could-be success stories. Our lightning just hasn't struck yet. But that doesn't mean it won't. Sometimes you just have to be still and listen closely. That rumble in the distance might very well your thunder, telling you lightning is on its way.

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The Skinny on Michelle

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, M. Leighton, is a native of Ohio. She relocated to the warmer climates of the South, where she can be near the water all summer and miss the snow all winter. Possessed of an overactive imagination from early in her childhood, Michelle finally found an acceptable outlet for her fantastical visions: literary fiction. Having written over a dozen novels, these days Michelle enjoys letting her mind wander to more romantic settings with sexy Southern guys, much like the one she married and the ones you'll find in her latest books. When her thoughts aren't roaming in that direction, she'll be riding horses, swimming in ponds and experiencing life on a ranch, all without leaving the cozy comfort of her office.